Jason and Medea, 1759 (oil on canvas) by Loo, Carle van
http://the-toast.net/2015/09/02/dirtbag-medea/

J.M.F. Heinrich: Othello and Desdemonda
http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/othello.html

While I was reading Othello I felt that there was a connection between this play and Medea, specifically in the characters of Othello and Medea.  Both Othello and Medea had their love tested by what they thought were unfaithful spouses.  While in Medea she was actually left by her husband Jason for a Princess, Othello was only lead to believe that Desdemona was cheating but for him it was completely real.

In both stories, Othello and Medea reacted to their partners “infidelities” with extreme emotional outbursts.  Medea killed their children, the Princess and the King to get back and Jason because she felt that leaving him with nothing and no one was better then killing him.  On the other hand, Othello killed Desdemona because of his rage and he didn’t want her to cheat on another man.

Both characters also had prejudices based on who they were- Medea being a woman and Othello being the “Moor.”  Since Medea was a woman, she was described as emotional and told by Jason that “The whole female race/ should not exist.  It’s nothing but a nuisance” (Lines 594-595).  Othello was also looked down upon by many throughout the story for the sole reason being that he is black.  Iago and Desdemona’s father spoke poorly of him and used his race as a way to insult his character.  Iago used insults like “his Moorship” and “old black ram” which insinuates Othello is like an animal (Act 1 Sc 1, Line 35)

It is hard to decide which of the two stories ends more tragically because in both plays there were no major/main characters who survived.  Though Medea may be more tragic because she killed her two innocent children to get back at Jason, she ended up fleeing and happy that she destroyed Jason’s life.   On the other hand almost everyone ends up dead in Othello.  Desdemona, Emilia and Roderigo were innocent  and murdered and Othello ended up killing himself.  There were no characters who survived and ended up happy.  I would say Othello has to be the more tragic play of the two.